You’re More Likely To Die From Cancer In These 10 States

Cancer is something no one looks forward to, but everyone talks about. Why? Because it seems like everyone knows a family member or a friend that has battled with some form of cancer. But if you look closely, are those cancer cases centered around a certain area on the map? We wanted to find out, so we researched and found the top 10 states that have the most deaths by cancer. The data is very interesting.

Many factors contribute to state differences in cancer incidence and death rates. Some are behavioral, with some state populations having higher rates of unhealthy habits that increase a person’s risk of developing cancer, such as smoking. Medical care, like early screenings that can detect cancer, also varies by state, and demographics can be a factor. Although the CDC data we’re looking at here are age-adjusted, some states are home to more Hispanics (who, in general, have a significantly lower cancer incidence rate than their white and black counterparts.

Here’s the list of the top 10 cancerous states (starting with the lowest 5):

Relatively unhealthy habits, poor economic factors, and low access to health care and healthy food options likely made surviving cancer much more difficult for many Arkansas residents. Nearly 33% of residents were obese, and more than 22% reported a history of tobacco use — both among the highest such rates in the nation. Also, nearly one in five residents lived in poverty, the fourth highest rate. The percentage of people unable to afford to see a doctor was eighth highest. Arkansas had a relatively low incidence of cancer diagnoses, despite the fact that more than 200 deaths per 100,000 people were associated with the disease, which was one of the highest mortality rates in the country. With 43 cancer deaths for every 100 cancer diagnoses, Arkansas had the worst cancer survival rate in the country.

Breast cancer is the most common form of the disease in the U.S., with 122 new cases diagnosed per 100,000 Americans in 2015. And since October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we’re looking at data from the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention on cancer rates in different states.